Butter-packing machine.



PATENTED mow-5, 1905.

J. MATTSON.

BUTTER PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY22,1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wt @M/Uafiwn. lnesses Inventor Attorneys PATENTED DEG-5, 1905. J. MATTSON.

BUTTER PACKING MACHINE. Armgonxon nun MAY 22, 1905.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' .Withesses I I I Attorneys PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

J. M'ATTSON. BUTTER PACKING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY22,1'905.

4' SHEETS-SHEET 3.

VIII/A lnventor.

, Attorneys UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFI E.

JOHN MATTSON, OF'DRESSER JuNoTION, WISCONSIN. BUTTER-PACKING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:-

- Be it known that I, JOHN MATTSON, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Dresser Junction, in the county of Polk and State of .Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful which plastic material may be forcedunder" any desired pressure into the receptacle without injuring the quality of the material and with comparatively little exertion on the part of the operator. o

A further object'of the invention is to. provide a machine in which the pressure on the butter or other material operates automatically to stop the pressing operation at a predetermined point in order to avoid injury to the material or damage to the machine. A still further object of the invention is to provide improved means for stripping the packing-plunger and automatically removing the plastic material clinging theretoafter each compressing operation.

A still'further object of the invention is to With these and other objects in view, aswill more fully hereinafter appear, the inven- I tion consistsin certain novel features of construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being under the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, F1gure1 1s Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 22, 1905. Serial No. 261.657.

Patented. Dec. 5, 1905.

a vertical sectional view of a butter-packing machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the principal'portions of the machine. tional plan view-of the machine on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of theplunger, the stripper, and other I operating mechanisms. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the stripper-locking mechanisms. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the plunger and stripper, showing the position assumed by the parts as they move downward into engagementwith-the material to be packed. Fig. 7

is a similar view showing the movement of the plunger in advance ofor below the stripper. Fig. 8 is'a detail perspective view of the mechanism forrlocking the clutching Inech-' anisrn n operative positlon.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectlonal v1ew of .the lower portlon of the machine, illustratingthe relative positions of one of the receptacle-carriers and the scalebeam connection. Fig. 10 is a detail perspec- The various working parts of the machine.

are supported on a suitable frame 10, that preferably is formed of structural iron. At the top of theframe are bearingsforthe reception of a main shaft 11,- carrying a fast 7 pulley 12 and two loose pulleys l8and 14. To

straight belt 16 being normally in engagement with the pulley 13, and a crossed belt Fig. Sis a sec- 7 17 being normally in engagement with'the loose 'pulley 14, so that both belts may be driven from a single-linesha ft for imparting movement inopposite directions, respectively, to the two loose pulleys. The shaft .11 is provided at one end with a bevel-pinion 19, in- I arms serving as carriers forlthe receptacles w, r

in which the butter or other material is to be packed. At the upper end of the shaft 23 is secured a worm-wheel 27, with which intermeshes a worm 28, carried by a horizontallydisposed shaft 29. On this shaft is a loose pulley 30, that is connected by a belt 31 to the pulley 15 on the shaft 11. The hub of the pulley 30 has a clutch-face which may be engaged by a clutching-sleeve 32, feathered on the shaft 28 and under the control of a shifting lever 33, that is pivoted on a frame or bracket member 34. The upper end of the clutch-operating lever is connected to a fixed portion of the frame by a helical tensionspring 35, that tends normally to maintain the clutch in release position, so that the pulley rotates idly on the shaft. Extending from the clutch-operating lever is an arm 36, the outer portion of which is guided in a suitable opening formed in a hanger 37, and in the upper edge of this arm is a notch 38, with which may engage a lever 39, pivoted at one end to a hanger 40, the free end of the lever being connected to one end of a tension-spring 41, that tends normally to hold the lever down and to force it into notch 38, so that if the arm is moved with the lever to clutching position the notch will be placed opposite the lever 39, and the latter will enter the notch and hold the clutch tightly against the clutchingface of the hub of wheel 30, thus locking the latter to the shaft 29 and permitting the transmission of rotative movement through the worm-gearing to the shaft 23 and the receptacle-carrying arms. The free end of the lever 39 is connected by a cord or chain 42 to the outer end of a lever 43, that is pivoted on a bracket 44, extending from the base portion of the machine, and from the inner end of the lever extends an arm 45, arranged to be engaged by fingers 46, projecting from the receptacle-carrying arms, the arm 45 having .an inclined face forming a cam with which the fingers successively engage and serve to transmit movement through the lever 43 and cord or chain 42 to the lever 49. When this occurs, arm 39 is raised from the notch 38 and the spring 35 operates the lever 33 to move the clutch to release position, this mechanism serving as a means for automatically stopping the successive receptacles in alinement with the plunger.

The receptacle-holders are preferably in the form of arms 50, secured to the outer ends of the yieldable arms 25, two of such arms 50 being provided with prongs or teeth for engaging the receptacle, while the third has an adjustable tooth or screw 51 for the purpose of locking the receptacle in place. One of the arms 50 carries an operating-tongue 46 for effecting the release of the clutching mechanism.

The screw 21 extends through the threaded hub of the bevel-wheel 20, while the lower portion of the screw is unthreaded and ex tends through an opening formed in a bracket 56, said bracket having a key or tongue 57, that extends into a vertical keyway formed in the unthreaded portion of the screw to prevent rotative movement of the latter. The screw constitutes a plunger-carrier, and to its lower end is secured a plunger 59, that may be formed of wood or other material and may be of any desired shape to correspond to the shape of the receptacles being filled.

Secured to the bracket 56 and extending from thence to the top of the frame is a rigid ratchet-bar 60, having teeth arranged at regular intervals, and with these teeth engages a pawl 61, pivoted on a stud 62, that is carried by a plate 63, having an opening for the free passage of the rack-bar. A spring 64, extending between the plate and pawl, serves to maintain the latter in engagement with the teeth of .the rack-bar.

The plate 63 is rigidly secured to the upper end of a stripper-carrying rod 67, that passes freely through a guiding-opening formed in the bracket 56, and at its lower end is secured to a yoke 68, having at its central portion an opening for the passage of the plunger-carrier 21. This yoke carries a stripper 69, which completely encircles the periphery of the plunger and serves to strip therefrom any material which may cling to the plunger after its compression movement. In order to avoid excessive independent downward movement of the plunger, the carrying-rod 21 is provided with a shoulder 70, which engages against the yoke 68 in order to force the stripper down with the carrier after the plunger has moved a limited distance.

Secured to theplunger-carrying rod 21 is a cam 72,that is arranged to engage the tail of the pawl 61, and when the plunger-rod moves up a predetermined distance this cam will engage the tail of the pawl and will move the latter from engagement with the teeth of the rackbar and on continuing theupward movement the plunger and stripper will travel together to the end of the upstroke, the lower end of the cam having a recessed shoulder, which by engagement with the pawl imparts upward movement to the latter and elevates the stripper-rod and stripper. The plunger-rod is further provided with a projecting stud 73, that is arranged to engage with an arm' 74, projecting from a rock-shaft 75, adapted to suitable bearings in a bracket 76, carried by the main frame, and when this shaft is turned by engagement of the stud 73 with the arm 74 the straight belt 16 will be shifted from the fast pulley 12 to the loose pulley 13.

The upper portion of the frame is provided with two sets of grooved rollers 77, which serve as supports for a shifter-rod 78, carrying fingers 79, that extend on opposite sides of the belt 16. One end of the rod is connected to an arm 80, projecting from the rock-shaft 75, while the opposite end thereof is connected I byv a flexiblev cord ,or chain 81 to aweight 82,

that tends normally to move the shifter to.

suchposition that the straight belt 16 will be n in engagement with the fast pulley 12, and. when the plunger is fully up and stud, 73 is engaged with the arm 74, the belt will be shifted to the loose. pulley, as shown in Fig. -1.

, approximately horizontal scale-beam 85. The

lever 82 is provided with a transversely extending block 86, having a rounded upper face over which theouter portions of the receptacle-carrying arm, may pass, and said arms are stopped immediately over this block, so that during the compressingoperation the downward movementof the plunger will be transmitted to the material being compressed vand the receptacle to the arm 25,'and thence through block 86 to lever 82, and latter to the scale-beam 85. v

The scale-beam 85 is approXimatelyU shape from the Y in form, its short arm 87 and long arm88 being pivoted to the oppositely-disposed vertical standards'of the frame,'while the longer arm is continued to the'opposite side of the ma-. chine and is provided with a counterweight or poise 90, which may offer any desired resistance to the movement of the beam under the downstroke of the plunger, and by -ad justing lthis weight'in accordance with the character of the material being packed any desired pressure may be exerted on'the material before the scale-beam is moved.

with suitable studs for the support of grooved rollers 92 for the reception of a belt-shifter rod 93, having a pair of'fingers 94, which extend on opposite sides .of the crossed beltv 17 Thisrod isprovided with .a projecting arm 95,

that is connected by a flexible cord or chain 96 to a weight 97, tending normally to shift the rod tothe. right of Fig. land to maintain pivoted a stop-lever 101, which mayv move, across the end of the shifter-rod 93 and prethe crossed belt in engagementwith the loose pulley 14. r The opposite end of the shifterrod 93 is connectedto a rocker-arm 98,- car riedby a rock-shaft 99, that is mounted in bearings in a' suitable hanger carried by the frame. The'rock-shaft further carries an arm 100, which is held up. by a spring 1'01,.the

spring also tending to move the shifter-rod to the right andm'aintain the crossed belt in engagement with the loose pulley 14, 7

At one side of the frame of, the machineis vent its movement tothe right, so that, the

shifter-rod will be held inlthe position. shown in full linesin Fig. 1, with the crossed belt in engagement with the fast pulley 12, this she-1' ingthe position assumed while the .screwis 'being forced down during the compressing contact therewith. If the scale-beam is raised,

however, the arm 104 will engage the stoplever 101 and raise the latter free of the shifterrod 93, and the latter will then be moved to, i the right under the influence of weight 97 and spring 101, shifting the belt from the fast pulley 12 to the loose pu'lley 14.

The adjacent-arms or fingers of the two shifting devices are arranged to interlock during movement in one direction. The shifting finger 94 projects/ to the right and in the path of movement of the finger 79, and if the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 and both belt-shifters are locked by engagement of the shifter-rod 93 with the stop-lever 101 a re- ,lease movement of the stop-lever will permit both the shifting-rods 78 and 93 to travel'to the right, soth'at the belt 16 will be shifted to the fast pulley 12 and the belt 17 will be shifted to the loose pulley 14 and the screw 21 will beinoved in the opposite direction.-

At the lowerporti'on of the machine are arranged two pedals 110 and 111. The pedal 110 is connected by a flexible cordor chain 112 to the upper-end of the clutch-operating lever 33, so that when the pedal'is depressed by the operator-the clutch will be movedfrom release position to engaging position and movement will be transmittedto, the carrierarms, The pedal 111 isconnected by aflexible they tight pi lley 12. r

Ioo

. cordor chain 113 to the rocker-arm 100, and Q The upper portion-of the'frame is provided In the operation of the device the operator stands in front of the machine within convenient reach of the two pedals and 111. ,If butter is being packed in tubs or similar re ceptacles previously mounted on the' carrierarms, a quantity of butteres'ay ten or twelve pounds is placed in the receptacle then; in '1;

front of the operator. The pedal 110 is then,

to interlock with. the clutch-face on the hub of pulley 30, it being'understood that fatthis I ley l 4 to pulley 15, belt 31, pulley 30, shaft 7 29, worm 28, worm-.wheel27 to shaft 23, and

to the carrier. ,Thelcarrier-arm is revolved until one' of theffingers 46 strikes thefcamshaped face of the'arm 45.

. i w 3 This depresses the' outer end of lever 43, and the downward movement is. transmitted throughthe flexible latter from the. l.notch into which. it had cord 'or chain 42 to the .lever 39, vraisingthe I 5 shifting of belt 17 from the loose pulley-14to V 1"15 v depressed, and thismovement causes clutch 32.

I previously dropped when the clutch was moved to operative position. hen the lockinglever 39 is raised, spring 35 moves the clutch to release position, and the receptacle halts at a point under the plunger. The operator then places another quantity of butter in the second receptacle, which is by this time in a position in front of him, and then depresses the pedal 111. This movement is transmitted to the belt-shifter rod 93, and the belt 17 is moved from the loose pulley 14 to the fast pulley 12, whereupon shaft 11 is turned and the bevel-gear 20, constituting the nut of the screw 21, is revolved and the plunger-carrying rod descends. During the descent of the plunger-carrying rod the cam 7 2 moves away from the tail of the pawl 61, leaving the latter free to move into engagement with the rackbar. The plunger moves down, together with the stripper, the latter moving by gravity, and in some cases the cam 72 will not have moved fully away from the pawl 61. During this downward movement the lower face of the stripper will usually be slightly below the lower face of the plunger until the stripper is stopped by contact with the material being compressed. The positive downward movement of the'plunger thereupon insures movement of the cam 7 2 away from the pawl, and the latter is then in position to engage and click past toothafter tooth of the rack-bar. When the compression movement has been completed or when sufficient pressure has been exerted for the purpose, the arm 25 yields and, moving it into engagement with block 86,forces the latter down and lever 82 descends, the movement being transmitted to the scale-beam. The outer end of the scale-beam being raised elevates the bar 102, and arm 103 engages and elevates the stop-lever 101. When the lever 101 is moved away from the end of the shifting rod 93, the weight 97 and spring 101 will move said shifter-rod to the right, and at the same time shifter-rod 78 will be moved to the right, causing belt 16 to move to the fast pulley 12 and the crossed belt 17 to move from the fast pulley 12 to the loose pulley 14:. This instantly reverses the direction of rotation of the shaft 11 and the bevel-gear 20. The screw is then raised and the plunger starts its up ward movement; but the stripper has been locked from upward movement by the engagement of its pawl with one of the teeth of the rigid rack-bar. The plunger moves up until its lower edge is well within the stripper and the butter or other plastic material clinging to the sides of said plunger has been removed. The cam 72 then engages the pawl 61 and moves the latter from the rack-teeth, and on further movement the recessed block at the lower end of the cam engages and elevates the pawl, together with the stripper-rod and stripper, and all of the parts move up together until the stud 73 engages the bell-crank lever 74. This movement is transmitted to the shifterrod 78 and the latter is moved to the left, transferring the straight belt from the fast pulley 12 to the loose pulley 13, so that the machine is automatically stopped when the plunger has been fully elevated. The parts are now in readiness for a second operation, and by depressing the pedal 110 the clutch 32 may again operate for another cycle of operations.

While a single compression movement is all that is necessary in many cases, it is desirable, especially in the packing of butter, to add small quantities of butter-say from ten to twelve pounds at a time so that the compression will be more even and regular and may be accomplished without injury to the grain of the butter. During the latter part of the operation the receptacles will be heavier from the accumulated material, and more weights may be added to the scale-beam to compensate for such increased weight, so that while the weight of the material is increased the pressure exerted will be the same at all times.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a press, a yieldably-monnted receptacle-support, a compression member in alinement therewith, an operating means for the compression member, and a controlling device arranged under the yieldable support and movable by engagement of the support therewith when the pressure has reached a predetermined point.

2. In a press, a yieldably-mounted receptacle-support, a compression member in alinement therewith, an operating means for the compression member, and a controlling de vice for stopping and reversing the direction of movement of the operating member, said controlling device being arranged under the yieldable support and operable by the engagement of the support therewith.

8. In a press, a scale-beam, a receptaclesupport connected thereto, and an operating means under the control of the scale-beam.

1. In a press, a scale-beam, a compression member the movement of which is transmitted to the beam, and operating means under the control of the beam.

5. In combination, a scale-beam, acompression member the movement of which is resisted by the beam, and a compression-memberoperating means under the control of the beam.

6. In combination, a scale-beam, a receptacle the weight of which is imposed on the load end of the beam, a compression member for packing material in the receptacle and the movement of which is resisted by the poise end of the beam, and a compression-member-opcrating means under the control of the beam.

7. In apress, a scale-beam having an adj ustable poise, a compression member, a receptacle for receiving material to be acted upon by the compression member, the movement of the compression member and the weight of the the pressing operation, and acompres'sio member-operating means under thecontroiliof. the scale-beam,

receptacle and its contentsbeingimposedo the load end of the beam during a portion ing means, and mechanism under the control of the scale-beam for determining. the direction of movement of the nut.

V 9. The combination with a scale-beam, of a yieldable receptacle-support, a lever connect- .ed to the scale-beam and arrangedunder the support, a plunger for packing material in the receptacle,-a threaded rod carrying said plunger, a nut on'said threaded rod, and automatic means controlled by the extent of movement of the scale-beam for stopping the downward movement of the plunger when the compression has reached a predetermined stage. V

10. In apparatus of the class described,a plunger, a stripper surrounding thefplunger and movable therewith, the downward movement of the stripper being checked by engagement with the materialbeing packed.

11. In apparatus of the class described, a plunger, a stripper surrounding the same and movable therewith, and means for locking the stripper for'movement during the initial back stroke of the plunger. y

12. In apparatus of the class described,a

plunger and stripper, an operating means for effecting an initial movement of the'plunger and then a simultaneous movement of the plunger and stripper.

. 13. In apparatus ofthe. class described, a plunger and stripper, means for locking the stripper from movement, and means for unlocking the stripper after initial movement of the plunger;

14. In apparatus of the class described, a

plunger and'stripper, a stripper-locking 4 means, a plunger-operating mechanism, and

means controllable by the movement of the plunger for unlocking the stripper and permitting its upwardmovement with the plunger.

15. The combination with an intermittentlyrevoluble receptacle-support, of'a plunger, a threaded rod carrying the same, abevel-wheel the hub of which forms a nut on said threaded rod, a shaft, the bevel-wheel carried thereby and inter-meshing with the bevel-wheel on the rod, and means controllable by the movement of the plunger for determining the stopping and direction of rotation of said shaft.

16. The combination with a revoluble receptacle-support, of a plunger, a threaded rod carrying the same, a bevel-wheel forming a nut on said threaded rod, a shaft having a bevel-wheel intermeshing with the first bevel- Wheel, pulleys on the shaft, belts running over Y revolublereceptacle-support, of a compressaid pulleys, and belt-shifters controlled by :tihe-movement of the plunger in opposite directions. I v

, 17 The combination withan intermittentlysionplunger,athreaded rod carrying-the same, abevel-wheel forming a nut on said rod, a shaft, the 'bevel-gearcarried thereby and intermeshing with the bevel-wheel, pulley-s on said. shaft, belt-shifters movable, on completion of the'upward'inovement of the plunger, and meansoperable at the completion of the downward movement of the plunger. for operating said belt-shifters.

' 18. The combination with arevoluble re ceptacle-support, ofa plunger, a threaded rod carryingthe same, a bevel-wheel mounted on the rod and forminga nut therefor, a shaft, a

,ger, a second belt-shifter, aftreadle for operating the same inone direction, a locking-lever for maintaining said second belt-shifter in ad usted position, and means operable on downward movement of the receptacle-carrier for moving said lever to released position.

' 19. The combination with an intermittentlyrevolu'ble receptacle-support, of a plunger, a

threaded'rod carrying the same, a bevel-wheel forming a nut on saidirod, a shaft, a bevelgear carried thereby and intermeshing' with vthe bevel-Wheel, a fast pulley, and aipair of .loose pulleys mounted-on the shaft, a pair-of .ment of the plunger forshifting one of the belts, and a pedal-actuated mechanism for shifting the second belt. f

20. In an apparatus of the class described, a revoluble receptacle-support, a plunger,

means for raising and lowering the plunger,

a stripper for said plunger, a strippehcarry; ing bar, a pawl, supported thereby, a rackbar withwhich said pawl may engage, and means controllable by the movemento'f the plungerfor releasing the pawl.v I

21. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with an intermittently-revoluble receptacle-support, a plunger, athreaded rod carrying the same, a revoluble nut on said rod, a vertically-guided bar secured to the plunger and extending parallel with the threaded rod, a plate or frame secured to said vertically-guided rod, a pawl carried by the plate, a rack-bar with whichsaid pawl may engage, a cam carried by the threaded rod and adapted to engage said pawl, said cam having a recessed shoulder for positively engaging the threaded rod with the plate, and alstripper supported by and movable with the p ate.

22. The combination with an intermittentlyrevoluble receptacle-support, of a shaft carrying the same, a worm-wheel on the shaft, a

Worm meshing with the wheel, a worm-shaft, a loose driving-pulley arranged on the shaft and having a clutch-face, a clutch member feathered to the shaft, a clutch-operating lever, means for locking said lever in clutching position, and means controlled by the revoluble movement of the receptacle-support for releasing said lever.

23. The combination with a receptacle-support, of a shaft carrying the same, a wormwheel on the shaft, a worm intermeshing with the worm-wheel, a Worm-carrying shaft, a loose pulley mounted on the worm-carrying shaft and having a clutch-face, a clutch member feathered on the worm-shaft, an operating-lever engaging said clutch, a locking-bar connected to the lever and having a notch, a locking-lever arranged to engage said notch, means controlled by the receptacle-support for moving the locking-lever to released position, a pedal-actuated mechanism for moving the clutch-lever in one direction, and a spring for moving said clutch-lever in the opposite direction.

24. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a revoluble receptacle-support comprising a plurality of yieldable arms, a shaft to which said arms are secured, a worm-wheel on said shaft, a Worm interl'neshing with the worm-wheel, a worm-carrying shaft, a loose belt-wheel mounted thereon and having a clutch-face, a clutching member feathered on the worm-shaft, a clutch-operating lever, a spring tending to move the lever in one direction, a pedal mechanism for moving the lever in the opposite direction, a notched locking-bar connected to the pedal-lever, a locking-lever arranged to engage in said notch, a cam-lever connected to the locking-lever and having an arm in the path of movement of the receptacle-carrier, a plunger, means for operating the same. a scale-beam, and a lever connected to the scale-beam and having a camshaped block arranged below the plunger and over which the receptacle-earrying arms are successively moved.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MATTSON.

Witnesses:

JEAN A. SLEEPER, A. H. LYNCH. 

